RUSSIA: (7 April 2017) Day 3 - Jehovah's Witnesses hearing under way

I get the impression that the JWs are reporting the courtroom feed with a bias towards anything the judge does that could be construed as in their favor. It would not surprise me that this is a tactic so that if they are banned they could claim 'corruption'.

But on the first day, they reported all their denials that they got from the judge. Almost nothing was in their favor.

The first speaker is Vasily Kalin, chairman of the steering committee of the "Administrative Center of Jehovah's Witnesses in Russia." Are today's efforts to prohibit Witnesses lawful? For 26 years, the center has not been held accountable for extremism. "If we have been good all these years, at what point have we become extremists?" If the ban happens, significant harm will be done, and the persecution has already begun. People will be persecuted only for the joint reading of the Bible, and we have already passed. We have already been put on a par with such organizations as the Taliban, Aum Senrique and others. The position of Jehovah's Witnesses is unchanged: obey the authorities, pray for them. Always adhere to the principles of peacefulness.

10:45 am:

Kalin tells the circumstances of the repression of this religion in the USSR, which he remembers himself. He shows the court a certificate of a rehabilitated victim of political repression. He asks what certificate now he wants from the Ministry of Justice and his co-religionists. The actions of the Ministry of Justice throw the country into the past.

10:50 am

Performs Deputy Kalina, Sergei Cherepanov. He tells us what measures were taken by the center of Jehovah's Witnesses for the prevention of extremism.

10:57 am

Cherepanov mentions that the center of Jehovah's Witnesses is on the list of most dangerous organizations. He is not a lawyer, but thinks that the actions of the ministry lead the fight against extremism on a false track. In recent years, 20 criminal cases have been instituted against Jehovah's Witnesses under article "Extremism." Although most cases ended in acquittals, the rights of believers were significantly violated, and their lives overshadowed.

But on the first day, they reported all their denials that they got from the judge. Almost nothing was in their favor.

Tactic. If one was to review most of the requests they had no basis under law. For example, the JW lawyers tried to have 393 other defendants added and then requested that each are entitled to their own legal representation.

Cherepanov mentions cases of fraud had been planted and which have been declared to law enforcement agencies, however, completely ignored by the police and other authorities. There is no doubt that Jehovah's Witnesses center has taken all possible measures to counter extremism. Deputy Attorney General, who a year ago signed a warning of Jehovah's Witnesses, refused to meet, which could clarify what further action the supervisor might expect from the Jehovah's Witnesses.

They struggle with extremism in the whole civilized world. However, only in Russia for this are persecuted Jehovah's Witnesses, whose worship in the world is visited by about 20 million people. To pursue them in Russia is to challenge all those countries where Jehovah's Witnesses freely profess their faith. At this Cherepanov ends his speech and asks to attach the theses of his speech to the case.

The speech of lawyer Zhenkov. He convincingly proves that, contrary to the Justice Ministry's statement, among the goals and objectives of the organization of Jehovah's Witnesses there is no extremism. If for 100 years unofficially and 26 years of officially existence of Jehovah's Witnesses there was no proven harm from their activities, then what harm does the Ministry of Justice refer to?

Zhenkov draws attention to the fact that the vast majority of Witness publications were included in the FEMC 8 years ago. During these years there was not a single terrorist act or act of vandalism on the part of Jehovah's Witnesses. Nothing of the kind happened before.

11:24

Zhenkov draws attention to the fact that all these publications were included in the FSEM before the famous resolution of the plenum of the Supreme Court, which explained that extremism can not be considered criticism of other religions.

11:25

Zhenkov emphasizes that only some experts find signs of extremism in the literature of Jehovah's Witnesses. Often unskilled experts work. Courts consider cases in the absence of believers. For example, one of the brochures, which contains almost no text, was considered extremist for the phrase "Avoid bad deeds." In response to laughter in the room, Zhenkov said that people who are being searched because of this brochure are not to laugh.

11:30

Two other publications have been made to the FSEM, but Jehovah's Witnesses still do not know why, despite many requests and requests. "If so consider printed texts, then Russia can soon be left without books!"

Zhenkov: It seems that the prosecutor's office is trying by any means to recognize as extremist as possible a large number of materials of Jehovah's Witnesses. For example, the prosecutor's office sued the recognition of the extremist Bible itself, despite a direct reservation in law that the Bible and quotations from it can not be considered extremist. From the prosecution's argument: "Taken as a book, the Bible ceases to be a Bible, which it is only in the Church." (Laughter in the hall.)